Virtual Reality as a tool to Assist Learning in Aerospace Assembly

This study examines whether virtual reality (VR) is more superior to paperbased instructions in increasing the speed at which individuals learn a new assembly task. Specifically, the work seeks to quantify any learning benefits when individuals are given the opportunity to review instructions in advance of the task. It compares the performance of two groups using virtual and hardcopy media types to pre-learn an aircraft panel assembly process. A build experiment utilising multiple builds of the panel showed that a group of people, who prelearned the assembly sequence using a VR environment, completed their builds faster (average build time 29.5% less) with fewer references to instructional materials (average number of references 38% less) and with fewer errors than the group using hardcopy instructions. These outcomes were more pronounced during the first build, with differences in build time and number of references in subsequent builds showing limited statistical differences.